A bill requiring social media platforms to establish physical offices within Nigeria has passed its second reading in the Senate during Tuesday’s plenary session.
The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023,” was introduced by Senator Ned Nwoko of Delta North.
During the debate, Nwoko emphasized that the bill aims to address a significant gap in the engagement of multinational social media companies with Nigeria.
He pointed out that Nigeria, as Africa’s most populous nation and one of the leaders in digital engagement globally, deserves better representation from these platforms.
Nwoko highlighted that Nigerians spend an average of three hours and 46 minutes on social media daily, ranking first in Africa and second globally for usage.
He listed major platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat as integral to daily life in Nigeria, shaping politics, entrepreneurship, and public discourse.
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However, Nwoko criticized the lack of physical offices for these platforms in Nigeria, contrasting this with their operations in other countries such as the United States, UK, India, and Germany, where they have regional offices to handle concerns, content policies, and partnerships.
He argued that the absence of these offices in Nigeria results in missed economic opportunities and limited local representation, particularly in addressing content moderation and regulatory issues.
The bill also proposes that all bloggers operating in Nigeria establish verifiable offices in one of the country’s capital cities.
Senator Kenneth Eze, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation, voiced his support for the bill, noting that the growing influence of social media in business and communication requires stronger oversight.
Eze also highlighted the closure of offices by major companies like Google and Microsoft in Nigeria, which has led to lost tax revenues and economic leakage.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio remarked on the increasing role of digital technology, suggesting that the bill should proceed to a public hearing to gather input and refine the proposal.
He assured that the intention of the bill was not to restrict social media but to ensure proper tax collection and regulation.
The bill now moves to the next stages of the legislative process, with the aim of bringing more accountability to the digital space and securing fair revenue for Nigeria.
Crediblenewsng.com
